Talsma said that he expects that the contract will be awarded by IDOT in November and that preliminary work could begin immediately. IDOT is involved because State Street is Illinois Highway 38.

Though construction is not scheduled to begin until March, Talsma said soil borings and other tests could force lane closures beginning next month.

Talsma said that the bridge, built in 1910, will be replaced and that new supports will be sunk into the river bed.

Also included in the project will be improvements to State Street from Illinois Highway 31 to Illinois Highway 25. The bridge will be widened to five lanes to accommodate left turns onto both those highways and River Lane.

The city`s participation in the project includes paying the costs of ornamental street lights, a staircase and bridge overlooks. Those costs are estimated at $100,000.

During construction, at least one lane will remain open in each direction, Talsma said.

He said bids for a separate State Street improvement project are expected to be let in December.

That contract will involve resurfacing the street from West Lane to East Side Drive. The city`s share of the almost $500,000 project will include $25,000 for resurfacing of the parking lanes. That project is expected to get under way next summer.